1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to paper machines, and, more particularly, to devices for threading a fiber web tail in a paper machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
During startup of a paper machine, or following a web break, a narrow edge strip of the fiber web (called a tail) is typically guided along a web travel path through the dry end of the machine. Blast nozzles pointing in the machine direction may be used to transfer the tail through the machine. The air jets produced by the blast nozzles drive the tail in the desired direction through the machine. This process is known as “threading” the machine.
It is known to provide a rope guide arrangement whereby two points converge in a so called rope nip at the beginning of the rope guide arrangement. The tail is led into the rope nip which is located in a pick up area and is held between the ropes. The tail is carried together with the ropes along the web travel path into a transfer area in which the tail is transferred to a downstream unit in the machine.
Occasionally, the tail may not align with the rope nip defined by the rope guide arrangement. It is sometimes necessary to manually feed the tail into the rope nip for threading of the machine. Not only is this time consuming, but it is also desirable to avoid inserting hands and arms into the machine area whenever possible.
What is needed in the art is a device which not only threads a fiber web tail in a machine direction, but also is capable of diverting the fiber web tail in a direction transverse to the machine direction.